If Annu qualifies, she will become the first Indian to reach the final round of the women's javelin throw event in the World Championships.

Doha: Top Indian woman javelin thrower Annu Rani smashed her own national record during the qualification round of the World Athletics Championships here on Monday. The 27-year-old Annu opened the qualification round Group A with a 57.05m before sending the iron spear to a distance of 62.43m in the second round, bettering her earlier national record of 62.34m, which she achieved in March during the Federation Cup in Patiala.

She had a 60.50m in the third and final round to finish third in her group behind Asian Games champion Liu Shiying (63.48m) of China and Ratej Martina (62.87m) of Slovenia. Annu will wait for the qualification round Group B to end to know whether she will make the final round or not. If she does, she will become the first Indian to reach the final round of the women's javelin throw event in the World Championships.

Those who touch the automatic qualifying mark of 63.50m or 12 best performers from Group A and Group B taken together will qualify for the final round, to be held on Tuesday.